


Glitter

by BornofFlame



Series: Sanders Sides One Shots [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Angst without a happy ending, First Kiss, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Janus is mentioned, Logan is mentioned - Freeform, Patton is mentioned, Remus is mentioned, Roman is an actor, Sickness, Theater - Freeform, Thomas is a good foster dad, polymyositis, virgil is a techie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25952068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BornofFlame/pseuds/BornofFlame
Summary: Roman's a junior when he meets Virgil, a strange enigma in his own right.Friends are made in the strangest places, aren't they?
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Thomas Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Thomas Sanders
Series: Sanders Sides One Shots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878814
Comments: 8
Kudos: 39





	Glitter

**Author's Note:**

> polymyositis is painful.
> 
> the whole robert holley thing actually happened- I changed names and what not, but this actually happened at a high school in utah.
> 
> Electric Theatre is a real place, in utah- and you can get inside by using the art gallery next door as an easy break in, I performed a show there once!
> 
> the museum of pop art is an actual location in arizona

Roman was walking confidently down the hallway when the kid nearly crashed into him, yelping out an apology as he dodged around Roman and continued down the hallway, disappearing into the crowd. Roman turned, confused, before shrugging and promptly forgetting about the strange encounter. It wasn’t the first time that someone had run into him, but it was mostly from younger students that were hoping to meet him.

It was the first day of school, and so therefore, the dullest and he barely managed to drag through the first two classes, holding out his boredom until he could be walking down the hall to the theater class.

The room was noisy when he entered, about thirty five teens sprawled across the room, all sitting in different sections of the seats, which were set up in an almost mini theater style. Roman joined a few of his friends on the left side, about midway up.

Him sitting down was immediately disrupted by the teacher.

“Hey guys, gals and all my non binary pals! I’m Thomas, we can ignore the whole last name basis, that’s for the older teachers! Can y'all please move to the right side and first three rows?”

Roman got up and moved, noting that the person who had nearly ran into him at the beginning of the day was sitting in the back, feet kicked up to the seat in front of him. He was dressed darkly, in all black and he had an air about him that screamed ‘stay away.’ 

But the most interesting thing about him was that Thomas didn’t ask the brooding student to move up like he had instructed the rest of the class. Roman glared back at him, disappointed when the teen didn’t even look up.

About halfway through the class, the Emo nightmare got up and just...  _ walked _ out. Roman watched him go, anger bubbling up inside him as he struggled to focus on the group game that Thomas had assigned them.

All in all, class was fun, and when the bell rang to excuse them for the day, Thomas called him to stay back.

“Roman, can you go check on Virgil and just make sure he hasn’t been crushed by a set?”

“What?”

Thomas looked at him. “Virgil. The kid that ducked out? He’s my techie.”

Roman’s mouth opened in a silent ‘oh’ and he nodded. “Yeah, where is he?”

“Somewhere backstage. I gave him the key to the loft, so maybe up there? I’m just sending you back to make sure he’s not dead.”

Roman nodded and went in the direction that Thomas pointed, exiting through the door that Virgil had used, which led through the theater’s woodshop and to backstage. It was dark, and there wasn’t anyone in sight.

“Hello?” Roman called out as he took his phone flashlight and turned it on.

No response.

“Virgil?” Roman took a hesitant step into the dark when a crashing noise caused him to shriek and throw his phone in the general direction of the noise.

“What the fuck?!?” A voice yelled back and Roman watched as Virgil came out of a  _ fucking _ hole in the stage, looking disgruntled as he crawled out like some eldritch abomination.

“WHy did you throw your phone?”

“I didn’t think that’d you’d be in the freaking stage????” Roman walked forward and snatched his phone from the ground, sadly noting that the screen had gained another crack in it.

“Oh yeah, I was visiting Robert Holley.”

“Who?”

“The ghost.” Virgil shut the trapdoor on the stage, and walked past Roman, who was still confused.

“This is a high school.”

“People die Princey.”

“How’d Robert die?”

“Idiot fired a blank against his head. It was a big scandal, school got sued, everyone thought it was a suicide, but nope, it was just a techie that had no idea what he was doing.” Virgil was smirking slightly and Roman felt a bit disturbed to say the least.

“When did this happen?”

“Like fifteen years ago. Rumors are that the pit, understage and booth are haunted. See you around Princey.”

Virgil left and Roman stood alone backstage for a moment, feeling really confused. He shuddered, and then ran out, convincing himself that ghosts aren't real, that Virgil had just been trying to mess with him.

…

It was fucking true.

Roman pushed back his swivel chair, looking in horror at the news stories all across his laptop screen.

When the school had first opened, the drama teacher had gotten permission to do a production of  _ Oklahoma! _ and to use a real gun. Apparently a kid, Robert, had gotten a hold of the gun and had fired it against his head.

It was horrible and Roman felt disgusted at the fact that Virgil had even mentioned the thing to him.

Whatever, he was probably just an emo that was obsessed with ghosts.

…

He kept running into Virgil after school, and always in the weirdest locations. First there was the alley behind the Electric Theatre, although it had been odd that Roman was back there as well- so he didn’t hold that to Virgil.

Another time, he found him stuck in a basketball hoop, swearing loud enough that it had echoed across the building, and yet Roman had been the one to help him get down, despite there being at least ten other people in the building at the time.

However, today took the cake.

Roman was in Wal-Mart with Patton, just walking around when he nearly ran into Virgil’s cart.

“What on earth is that?” Roman asked as he gestured to the cart.

“Glitter.” Virgil shrugged, although he looked clearly uncomfortable at the fact that the cart was filled with what looked like three hundred dollars of craft glitter. To top off the absurdity, there was a twelve pack of root beer.

“Why?”

“Roman, you don’t just ask why people have glitter! It’s for crafts obviously.” Patton chided and Roman blushed.

“Sorry V.”

“It’s fine. The glitter’s for work.” Virgil maneuvered the cart past the two and disappeared, heading towards the front of the store.

Once he was out of sight, Patton turned towards Roman.

“That’s Virgil?”

“Yeah.”

“You like him.”

“Nope.” Roman blushed and Patton nodded.

“Righhhht. Like how Logan totally doesn’t like Remus and I totally don’t like J or anything.”

“ _ Pattonnnnn _ , give it up, I don’t like Hot Topic.”

“You called him hot.”

Roman may have groaned begrudgingly, but Patton was right. He’d fallen, and hard, for the techie.

…

The next time that Roman ran into Virgil, it was with his car.

Literally.

He was coming back late from lunch, and wasn’t looking when there was a loud thumping noise and he slammed on the breaks. Roman unrolled his window and stuck his head out, unsure of who he had hit.

_ “WHAT THE FUCK?”  _ Virgil stood, flipped him off and limped to the sidewalk, nearly collapsing as he stepped up the curb. Roman pulled over and got out, running to help.

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention--” Roman reached out to help, mentally cursing himself.

“Obviously you dipshit! I can’t afford healthcare!” Virgil batted his hands away, tried to take another step and then fell.

“What do you mean?”

“Ugh, it doesn’t matter. Leave me alone Princey.” Virgil winced and tried to stand, very clearly favoring his right leg.

“Can I at least carry you to the class you were heading to?” Roman asked as Virgil stumbled into him.

“I was heading to Thomas.” Virgil muttered as he let Roman lift him bridal style. “I’m sorry for swearing at you.”

“It was a perfectly valid reaction.” Roman responded as he walked towards the school. “Wanna pick up something from the vending machine on the way in?”

“Aren’t you afraid that people are going to see this as homo?”

“Are you?”

“I’m-- I’m not out publicly, like four people know.” Virgil stammered and Roman nodded sympathetically.

“No snack stop. Which isn’t a problem for me, I’ve got a snac.”

Virgil turned a bright red as Roman kicked open the school’s front door, strolling casually through the building as he carried the techie to the theater room.

Thomas was at his desk when they came in and the look of panic on his face was almost enough to shock Roman into dropping him.

“Are you okay V?”

“Yep, this loser hit me with his car.” Virgil laughed at Thomas’s expression and Roman gently set him down into a chair. 

“Virgil Tempesta, those are two  _ very _ different phrases.” Thomas stood and walked over, panic shifting to concern. “Your knee is twice it’s normal size.”

“Nothing ice won’t fix.” Virgil winced when Thomas knelt down and prodded at the swelling.

“You need a doctor.”

“Pass.” Virgil hissed out and Roman felt like the odd one out in the conversation as he piped up.

“I’ll pay for it.”

“Virgil’s fine, Medicare will cover it.” Thomas looked at Roman. “I need to take him though, so there’s going to be a sub next class.”

Thomas scooped up Virgil and left, leaving Roman even more confused. It was clear that Thomas had some sort of connection with Virgil, but enough to actively take a half day off?

Something weird was up.

…

Logan was in Roman’s room, watching a video with Patton when Roman came storming in, flopping onto a bean bag dramatically. 

“I hit Virgil with my car!”

Patton looked up, mouth agape. “What?”

“It was an accident!”

“That doesn’t excuse it!”

“Patton, Roman already looks very distraught over what he did, so let’s not berate him any more than needs be.” Logan didn’t even look up and for that, Roman was grateful.

“How do I apologize?”

“You walk up to him and apologize, it’s not that hard.” Logan finally looked up and he squinted at Roman. “What’s actually bothering you?”

“Who gets Medicare?”

If Logan was confused by his question, he didn’t show it, instead he went into full teacher mode, adjusting his glasses before even opening his mouth.

“Seniors over 65, children under 18 who are wards of the state, younger people who have life threatening illnesses to name a few, why do you ask?”

Roman shook his head. “No reason.”

…

Virgil hissed as Thomas wrestled the brace onto his leg the next morning.

“I don’t need it.”

“Dr. Sanchez said that you did.”

“Sanchez is a bitch.”

“Virgil.” Thomas chastised as he finished getting the brace on. “CPS would hate me if they found out that I taught you to swear.”

“Fuck you.”

“I’ll tell the class about the glitter.”

“You’re the worst foster parent.” Virgil snapped, but his tone held no bite and Thomas sighed.

“About that…”

“You’re not giving me back, are you? I don’t think another person would foster me if I was put into the system again--” Virgil’s voice pitched upwards and his breathing became ragged until Thomas cut him off.

“V, calm down. I was going to adopt you if you’re okay with that. I could be like, the cool uncle.” Thomas took Virgil’s hands in his and smiled gently. “Virgil Tempesta-Sanders?”

“It sounds like a comic book name.” Virgil admitted.

“Yeah, it kinda does.”

“I like it.”

…

Virgil and Thomas weren’t in class the next day. Roman spent the entire time convincing himself that it probably had nothing to do with him and that both of them could be missing without it being correlated.

Still, he worried.

So, after school, he drove to the Electric Theatre and broke in. It wasn’t really breaking in, after all, the theatre was open to the public and it often held shows. But when it wasn’t open, you could get to it by going through the art gallery next door and using the dance rooms under the gallery to get to the theatre.

Roman was walking across the stage, in the dark, when the voice startled him.

“Didn’t have you pegged for a trespasser.”

Roman whirled around to see Virgil leaning on a broom, a lazy grin across his face.

“You’re alive!”

“Surprise motherfucker.”

Roman laughed in relief and then noticed the brace on Virgil’s leg. “Oh, that was my fault wasn’t it?”

“It wasn’t really you, if I didn’t have polymyositis then the car wouldn’t have done anything.” Virgil shrugged like it was nothing and Roman’s brow furrowed with worry.

“Okay…”

“Yep, I was just glad that Thomas was there.” Virgil swished the broom around as Roman walked across the stage to join him.

“Is he like your dad?”

“Nah, he’s my foster parent.”

“Oh.”

“Not all of us get the best cards in life Ro, it’s how we play them. I’ll see you around.” Virgil took the broom and Roman held out a hand.

“Virgil?”

“What?”

“Do you want to go out sometime?”  
Virgil broke into a smile and he nodded. “Sure, you’ll have to talk to Thomas tomorrow though.”

…

Roman knocked on Thomas’s office door, hearing the faint ‘come in’ as a signal. He slipped into the office and sat down at the chair offered, nervously tapping his knees together.

“How’s it going Roman?”

“Pretty good other than the fact I hit Virgil with a car.”

“Definitely puts a dent in things. So, what is it you want to talk to me about?”

“Uh, I just wanted to ask Virgil out and he said that I’d have to talk to you.”

Thomas stopped what he was working on and he looked at Roman sadly. “Ah.” He turned fully away from the work and stared Roman down. “Are you sure that you want to know?”

“Of course.”

“Ever heard of polymyositis?”

“Virgil mentioned it yesterday, but I don’t know what it is.”

“It’s a disease that affects the muscles and makes it hard to move. At least, that's the short version. Virgil has it.”

“How does that affect me?” 

“Most people don’t live past a few years of being diagnosed with it. Of course, most people who have it are old and so it’s multiple health problems that end up being the kicker, but Virgil still holds people at an arm's length because of it.” Thomas nodded and grabbed a sketchbook off of his desk. “Just… be careful Roman.”

Thomas passed him the sketchbook gingerly. “Can you take that to him? He left it here and most of the student body doesn’t know that I take care of him.”

“Sure. Thanks Mr. Sanders.”

“Ugh, that makes me feel old.”

…

Dropping off the sketchbook was easy and so was planning the date. Virgil had actually proposed that they go to the building of pop art that was downtown and then go to a few antique shops to find cursed items.

Roman spent most of Friday worrying about the date, despite Patton and Logan telling him that literally everything would be fine and that he was just overreacting as usual.

Still, pulling up to his theater teacher’s house to pick up a date was a surreal experience and soon enough, Virgil was sitting in the passenger seat of his thousand dollar honda civic.

“You ready?”  
“Sure. I might wanna draw a few things, I’ve been doing research for work and this is my last stop.”

Roman sidled a look at Virgil, who had swapped out his normally all black outfit for some purple and he laughed.

“So it’s a part work trip, part date?”  
“Work date.”

“What are you forty five?”  
“I’m fifteen and eight months, you can deal with it.” Virgil crossed his arms defensively and took a rattling breath.

“Fair enough.”

As luck would have it- the museum was closed. Roman sat down on the front steps defeatedly and Virgil joined him after a moment, pulling out his sketchbook and opening it to a page that had a stage drawn on it.

“What’s that for?” Roman asked as Virgil pulled out a pencil and started to lightly trace something onto the paper.

“I design sets and costumes for the Electric Theatre. That’s why I had all the glitter that one time. It was for a glitter cannon when we did Cinderella.”

“You made the glitter cannon?”  
“I designed it, yes.”

Roman rested his head on Virgil’s shoulder and grinned. “That was easily the coolest cannon that I’ve ever seen.”

“Thanks. It took way too long to make it work and the glitter was absolute hell to clean up afterwards, but hey, it kept the Theatre open.” Virgil flipped to another page and showed Roman the drawing of the cannon.

“Oh wow, that’s tight.”

“You should see the tree that I’m drawing for the next performance.”

And if the rest of the afternoon was passed in drawings and set design, then who was to care?

…

After the first date, Roman started to notice when Virgil had bad days, and when he had good days so to speak. Unfortunately, by the time that they had started their senior year, the bad days were out numbering the good ones.

And then Virgil was hospitalized.

Theater had been moved to first period and when Roman had walked in, he’d automatically noticed the dark rings under Thomas’s eyes and the fact that he just put on Avatar and disappeared back into his office. Roman snuck out of his seat and walked into the office, taking his self proclaimed stool.

“What’s wrong?”

“He’s reaching the end. According to the specialists at least.” Thomas buried his face in his hands. “I can’t take off any more sick days because of this fucked up school system.”

“So Virgil’s going to die?”

“Aren’t we all?” Thomas laughed bitterly and then sobered up, looking at Roman apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Virgil says stuff like that a lot.”

“It’s dumb, the adoption papers aren’t even finalized yet, I want him to at least have a family when he dies.”

Roman sat with Thomas for the rest of the day and then after school got out, the pair went to the hospital.

…

Virgil knew that Thomas would come, after all, the man had raised him for the past three years.

He wasn’t expecting Roman. Sure, he’d sorta, maybe, kinda had fallen in love over the course of a year, but it wasn’t like they had kissed or anything. Hell, Virgil had never even gone to a school dance and he was a senior.

There were a lot of things that he had wanted to try out before his enevable death, and he had thought that he’d get to his thirties at least. Most people didn’t make it past five years with polymyositis, and yet he’d made it nine and a half.

Roman had walked in silently and taken the hand with the IV in it, kissing it gently, which made Virgil laugh, even though it turned into a cough.

“Hey Emo.”

“Hi yourself, Sir Sings a lot.”

“How are you doing?”

“Fine, considering I’ll never get a first kiss or go to a dance or go stargazing.” Virgil tried to sit up, but the ache in his muscles left him immoblie. “Sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for Tempesta.”

“Hmm. At my funeral, can you play all the meme songs? And have a nerf fight?”

Roman tightened his grip on Virgil’s hand. “What makes you think that this is the end?”

“Intuition.”

“Of course I’ll make sure there’s a nerf war.” Roman promised.

“Thanks Ro.”

“Virgil, you said that you’d never kissed anyone?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I?”

Virgil looked at Roman and nodded. “Only if you’d like.”

Roman stood and leaned forward, carefully placing his lips against Virgil’s. Maybe a small part of him hoped that it was a true love’s kiss, that his friend’s polymyositis was some sort of medieval curse from a fairy tale, but this story has no happy ending.

When he pulled back, Virgil’s eyes were shining with tears. “Thank you.”

“I love you Virgil.”

“I love you too Roman.”

…

_ Virgil Tempesta-Sanders _

_ 2003 - 2020  _

_ We can gaze into the stars and sit together, now and forever. ~The Nightmare Before Christmas _

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for killing virgil, but I'm feeling depressed and so I did.
> 
> kudos and comments?


End file.
